FIP coupons / FIP card

[Estefania]

Hi everyone,

I work for the Spanish railway infrastructure manager. I'm going to travel to London and I want to confirm if FIP coupons are accepted on Elizabeth Line, Southern and South Western Railway. Regarding to Heawthrow Express, staff have told me I can get a discount ticket, but I don't know the amount of discount. I would be very grateful if you can help me.

Thank you.

Best regards.

 

[Wallsendmag]

Yes and 50% I believe

 

[Mag_seven]

Hi everyone,

I work for the Spanish railway infrastructure manager. I'm going to travel to London and I want to confirm if FIP coupons are accepted on Elizabeth Line, Southern and South Western Railway. Regarding to Heawthrow Express, staff have told me I can get a discount ticket, but I don't know the amount of discount. I would be very grateful if you can help me.

Thank you.

Best regards.

You may find this document useful:

https://www.raildeliverygroup.com/images/RST/RST_Guide_for_visitors_to_Britain_using_FIP_v9.pdf

Guide for visitors to Great Britain using FIP facilities.

 

[Watershed]

Hi everyone,

I work for the Spanish railway infrastructure manager. I'm going to travel to London and I want to confirm if FIP coupons are accepted on Elizabeth Line, Southern and South Western Railway. Regarding to Heawthrow Express, staff have told me I can get a discount ticket, but I don't know the amount of discount. I would be very grateful if you can help me.

Thank you.

Best regards.

Welcome to the forum!

Pages 62-68 of the the document that @Mag_seven linked to (here) lists all of the operators and railways on which FIP is and isn't valid. In essence, FIP facilities (coupons as well as the 50% discount) are valid on all operators that fall under the National Rail category. Some heritage railways also offer FIP discounts.

You can use your FIP facilities on all National Rail trains - there are no time restrictions or barred trains, like you get in some countries. There are also no supplements to pay, and you don't need a seat reservation on any train (except for the Caledonian Sleeper night-train). If you do want a seat reservation, it's free - you can get it at any ticket office, or you can register an account on the GWR website and then go to "My bookings" and then "Make a seat/bike reservation" and enter the journey details. You can select any ticket type to make the reservation, it doesn't matter which one you choose.

FIP isn't valid on metro, light rail and tram operators such as the London Underground (Tube). The only exception that you can use the Tube to cross London (e.g. from Paddington to Kings Cross), if you buy an FIP-discounted ticket which has a Maltese cross on it (†, + or ✠) - FIP coupons aren't valid on the Tube though.

It's worth noting that FIP facilities (including coupons) are valid on all Elizabeth line and London Overground trains, as these are both part of National Rail. This is despite the fact that they are controlled by Transport for London (TfL), which also runs the Tube (where FIP isn't valid, other than the above exception).

Heathrow Express is an open access operator (like Ouigo or Iryo in Spain), but it's part of National Rail and accepts FIP facilities (including coupons). The same goes for Lumo, Hull Trains and Grand Central, which are also open access operators that accept FIP.

Note that you can only buy FIP-discounted tickets at ticket offices.

 

[redreni]

It's worth noting that FIP facilities (including coupons) are valid on all Elizabeth line and London Overground trains, as these are both part of National Rail. This is despite the fact that they are controlled by Transport for London (TfL), which also runs the Tube (where FIP isn't valid, other than the above exception).

Heathrow Express is an open access operator (like Ouigo or Iryo in Spain), but it's part of National Rail and accepts FIP facilities (including coupons). The same goes for Lumo, Hull Trains and Grand Central, which are also open access operators that accept FIP.

Note that you can only buy FIP-discounted tickets at ticket offices.

Since there is no ticket office at Heathrow, would that mean that a person entitled to an FIP discount on Heathrow Express who arrives in the UK by flying into Heathrow Airport, cannot actually obtain that discount and use it to go to Paddington?

Unless the journey is time-critical, Heathrow Express is never worth it, in my opinion. Not even at half-price. Better to take the Elizabeth Line.

 

[Bungle965]

Since there is no ticket office at Heathrow, would that mean that a person entitled to an FIP discount on Heathrow Express who arrives in the UK by flying into Heathrow Airport, cannot actually obtain that discount and use it to go to Paddington?

Unless the journey is time-critical, Heathrow Express is never worth it, in my opinion. Not even at half-price. Better to take the Elizabeth Line.

Speak to one of the HEX staff and they should be able to issue you the ticket with the discount, they should have ticket selling capabilities with them.
Last time I exited Heathrow there were lots of them after bag collection to the actual station itself selling tickets.

 

[Estefania]

Heathrow Express is an open access operator (like Ouigo or Iryo in Spain), but it's part of National Rail and accepts FIP facilities (including coupons)

If Heathrow Express accepts FIP coupuns... Do you mean I can travel on it free of charge?

 

[Watershed]

If Heathrow Express accepts FIP coupuns... Do you mean I can travel on it free of charge?

Yes. You can use FIP coupons on all National Rail companies (including Heathrow Express) to travel for free.

 

[Estefania]

Thanks for your help.

 

[reb0118]

Note that you can only buy FIP-discounted tickets at ticket offices.

If boarding at an unstaffed station FIP tickets should be available on the train - but of course there may be exceptions.